BROKEN ARROW, Okla. -- Faced with a 43-40 halftime deficit, the National Park College men's basketball team pulled away from Rhema Bible College for an 83-74 win on the road Saturday to improve to 10-5 on the season.
"I am so proud of how tough our team plays on the road," NPC head coach Jason Hudnell said. "This is a big win against a quality opponent. The men are really playing with a passion and toughness that you have to have to win at this level."
K.J. Corder, of Hot Springs, stuffed the stat sheet with a team-high 24 points, nine rebounds, two assists and three steals. Braylon Steen, of Bryant, scored 11 points with seven rebounds and one steal for the Nighthawks.
National Park College shot 49 percent from the field and 46 percent from behind the arc. Corder and Westin Church, of Pea Ridge, each hit two 3-pointers, while Jarvis Ricks, of North Little Rock, hit 1 of 3 shots from downtown.
Logan Willett, of West Memphis, and Lowell Washington, of Bryant, each recorded 11 points and eight rebounds. Clyde Ricks, of Hope, added four points with five rebounds, two assists and six steals for the Nighthawks.
NPC grabbed 43 rebounds and came away with 13 steals in the game. The Nighthawks shot 58 percent from the free throw line, converting on 11 of 19 attempts.
The Nighthawks will welcome the Champion Christian College Tigers to the NPC Wellness Center at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday for homecoming. The Tigers won 108-102 in November in the first matchup of the two teams. The Nighthawks answered with a 113-106 win on Jan. 2 at Bank of the Ozarks Arena. Both games were decided in double overtime.
The men's team will play one more regular season game Monday at home against Arkansas Baptist. The Nighthawks defeated the Buffaloes 90-82 on Feb. 7.
Ecclesia College forfeited the game originally scheduled for Tuesday. The Arkansas Baptist game will now be the Nighthawks' final test before the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association Collegiate Club Regionals.
Women
National Park College's women's basketball team dug themselves an early hole from which they couldn't recover Saturday at Rhema Bible College.
Trailing 50-19 at the half, the Nighthawks bounced back with a 33-28 advantage in the second half, but the deficit proved too much to overcome in a 78-52 loss on the road.
"I couldn't be more proud of the grit these women displayed," NPC assistant coach Tennille Johnson said. "It was a tough match. We had players out and a few injuries to contend with, but the girls really showed us what they are made of today."
Faith Bratton, of Jessieville, led the way for NPC with 22 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals. Anna Ledbetter, of Lake Hamilton, recorded a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, while Kayla Sims, of Fountain Lake, chipped in with nine points, six rebounds, one assist and one steal.
The Nighthawks shot 45 percent from the field, 25 percent from behind the 3-point line and 86 percent on free throws. NPC was plagued by mistakes for much of the game, finishing with 22 turnovers.
The women's team will open Saturday's homecoming doubleheader against Arkansas State University Mid-South at 12:30 p.m.
An alumni reception with the teams will be held at 11 a.m. after the morning's Van Davis Memorial 5K.
Sports on 02/22/2018